Satirical comedy is insightful if not especially scathing

As its generic name of the family that Americans strive to keep up with, 'The Joneses' is an insightful, if not especially scathing, satire from debut director/co-writer Derrick Borte about consumerist manipulation. Grade: B-.

Bret Easton Ellis' novels translate nicely from page to screen. The author's obsession with pretty surfaces — from faces to food to designer clothes — is catnip for an industry/art form that thrives on images. The same can't quite be said of Gregor Jordan's adaptation of 'The Informers,' which is based on a collection of loosely connected short stories Ellis wrote during his college days. Grade: C-.